Itinerary
MEXICO & GUATEMALA
At Last
1-30 April 2009
30 Day Central American Adventure
Wednesday 01April
Melbourne - Los Angeles - Mexico City
WELCOME TO MEXICO – AT LAST!
In the way of The Inspired Traveller we begin the journey with high adventure - in Northwest Mexico's great Copper Canyon. We arrive first in the colonial city of Chihuahua. Its atmosphere is truly Mexican and deeply patriotic, with a remarkable history. Its remoteness from the traditional colonial heartland means that it sees fewer tourists and travellers than its counterparts, and is an appropriate place to begin this wonderful 25 day Central American journey.
Chihuahua's city center is filled with handsome colonial buildings, mansions, palaces, fine museums, and the homes of two of Mexico's most famous leaders.
Chihuahua is at the eastern end of the famous and breathtaking Copper Canyon railway.
We will be met at the airport and transferred to our chosen hotel.
A welcome cocktail party in the courtyard of an 110 year old mansion.
Celebration Dinner.
Accommodation: Palacio del Sol
Thursday 02 April Chihuahua - Copper Canyon Train
Let’s get underway with one of the world’s most scenic railroad journeys, ascending to a maximum height of 2400 metres and descending through the canyons and valleys of the Sierra Madre mountain range.
Barranca del Cobre, the "Copper Canyon" is really a series of more than 20 spectacular canyons, which altogether comprise a region that’s four times larger than the Grand Canyon. The entire Copper Canyon region comprises almost a third of the state of Chihuahua, which is Mexico's largest state. The principal canyon is the awe inspiring Urique Canyon, which will be traversed by the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad. Eventually, all of the rivers which formed the Copper Canyons merge into the Rio Fuerte which continues across the adjacent state of Sinaloa, emerging near the City of Los Mochis on the Sea of Cortez.
Chihuahua to Divisadero
Depart 06 am
Arrive 14.15 pm
Transfer to the train station. Breakfast aboard the train. We will ride the train through Tarahumara Mountain Range to the woodcutter village of Creel before arriving mid afternoon at Divisadero. This small town on the rim of the canyon is a perfect place to overnight and the hotel has wonderful views of the canyon. The afternoon will be well spent exploring the canyons on foot and mixing it with the locals at the Tarahumaran market, full of handmade baskets and colourful local crafts.
Accommodation and Dinner: Hotel Divisadero Barrancas
Friday 03 April Copper Canyon Train
Divisadero - El Fuerte.
The Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad takes us through an extraordinary landscape of sweeping mountain vistas, sheer canyon walls, sparkling lakes and fields of flowers.
The 655 kms of railway line links inland Chihuahua with the coast and carries lots of freight as well as passengers. Opened in 1961 after many decades of building, it is a real feat of engineering.
El Fuerte, one of the most majestic stops in the the Copper Canyon basin, is a sleepy, picturesque, colonial town. The views down to the Rio Fuerto are excellent and the River will provide tonights dinner, the local favourite, river Bass.
Accommodation: Hotel La Choza
Saturday 04 April Los Mochis - Mexico City
Transfer by land to Los Mochis airport fo rthe flight to Mexico City.
Aero Mexico Flight # Departing Los Mochis 7:40 PM
AM2083 Arriving Mexico City 10:40 PM
Mexico City, the City of Palaces, the ancient capital of the Mexican empire and the jewel in New Spanish Viceroys’ crown, is today one of the biggest, most complex and most beautiful cities in the world. The mere size of the urban spread makes it a city among cities.
Mexico City is a modern, cosmopolitan city situated in an old lake basin that is surrounded by volcanic mountains. The different cultures that have inhabited the city over the centuries have left a complex architectural legacy, from the the pre-hispanic civilizations to the Spaniards and finally to Modernism. The advantage of such a mega-city is that it offers the visitor all sorts of choices and wonder. Avenues like Avenida Insurgentes are a true axis of fun and recreation. Mexican culture in all its manifestations can be sceen at the large number of quality museums. You will be awed by the pre Hispanic National Museum of Anthropology, it is without any doubt one of the best museums of its kind in the world. The Museum of Modern Art and the Frida Kahlo Museum are on our list.
Our guide will meet us at the airport and transfer us to our chosen hotel, a stately restored mansion that is one of the capital's most distinctive boutique hotels.
Accommodation: La Casona.
Sunday 05 April Mexico City
A full day visiting the, Archeological site of Teotihuacan and the Shrine of Guadalupe.
Few cities in the world have been considered worthy of being inhabited by Gods but Teotihuacan is such a city. A thousand years of civilization, which today can still be felt along its wide avenues that project out towards the cardinal points of the universe.
The archeological site of Teotihuacan is one of the most impressive sites of the Aztec World. Located only one hour outside of Mexico City, we will have the chance to explore this Aztec treasure. Climb the magnificent Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon. See the Butterflies Temple, the Avenue of the Dead, and the Temple of Quetzalcoatl.
Today we will also visit the Shrine of our Lady of Guadalupe, the most visited religious site in Latin America. Built in the 16th Century, this Shrine is a wonderful example of Spanish Baroque.
In 1531 a 'Lady from Heaven' appeared to a poor Indian at Tepeyac, a hill northwest of Mexico City; she identified herself as the Mother of the True God, instructed him to have the bishop build a temple on the site and left an image of herself imprinted miraculously on his tilma. Thus was born the cult of the Virgin and Mexicans flocked to Catholicism.
Dinner in one of Mexico Cities chosen restaurants with music and dancing.
Accommodation: La Casona.
Monday 06 April Mexico City
A morning spent touring Mexico City.
This morning we will familiarise ourselves with the monumental city centre, visiting the Main Square (Zocalo), the National Palace with famous mural paintings by Diego Rivera, the cathedral, the Square of Three Cultures and take a drive through Chapultepec Park and the residential area of Las Lomas.
Afternoon Visit to the Frida Kahlo Museum.
Dinner tonight in a traditional hosteria that has been serving great Mexican food since 1860.
Accommodation: La Casona.
Tuesday 07 April Mexico City - Villahermosa
Off to the airport for the flight east to the Mexican state of Tabasco.
Mexicana Flight # Departing Mexico City 10:25 AM
MX7709 Arriving Villahermosa 11:45 AM
Villahermosa
In this city, cobblestoned streets surrounded by majestic buildings merge into a mythical place where the light and shade and vivid colours create a special exuberance. Villahermosa was attacked by American and French invaders between 1846 and 1864, basically wiping it off the face of the earth. This explains why in this 450 year-old city, only nineteenth and twentieth century buildings and monuments are preserved. Villahermosa is a prosperous city located in the southeast of the country, in the southern area of the Gulf of Mexico; therefore, its climate is humid and tropical. The area features deep rivers, amazingly gorgeous lagoon systems, deafening waterfalls and provides the state with over 30 per cent of its water.
On arrival we will be met and transferred to our chosen hotel.
Dinner at Restaurant Los Tulipanes for Tabasco specialties.
Accommodation: Camino Real
Wednesday 08 April Villahermosa - Merida
Breakfast at our hotel. Today we visit the ancient Maya city of Palenque.
Palenque with its exquisite architecture in a superb jungle setting is one of the marvels of Mexico.
After lunch, we will be transferred to VILLAHERMOSA airport, where we will board our flight to MERIDA and the Yucatan Peninsula.
Aero Mexico Flight # Departing Villahermosa 8:10 PM
AM2050 Arriving Merida 9:10 PM
Mérida, the “White City” invites exploration. Today, Merida is a mestizo city that sings outdoors in the evenings, provides hailstorms at midday and offers a horse-drawn carriage tour of its Paseo Montejo in the afternoons. The colonial and French influenced architecture, Mayan language, Caribbean atmosphere and original cuisine make this a unique place.
Mérida is the gateway to Uxmal and the Puuc Zone that still bears traces of its pre-Hispanic history and the extravagance of the henequen haciendas.
The majority of those living here are descended from the Mayans, the builders of Uxmal and Chichén Itzá. Although these cities had already been abandoned by the time the Spaniards arrived, the Conquest was delayed until 1542, when Governor Francisco Montejo founded Mérida, nearly twenty years after the fall of Teotihuacan. The revolts against the colonizers lasted until 1912. During the last third of the 19th century, the henequen (sisal hemp) industry dominated everything, creating immense fortunes but fostering social unrest, as a result of which the Revolution soon acquired a powerful base in Yucatán. Following the henequen crisis, the state was diversified and nowadays tourism is one of its main activities.
Dinner at La Casa de Frida restaurant, where the food is as good as the art on the walls.
Accommodation: Fiesta Americana Merida or Casa Lucia.
Thursday 09 April Merida (B L)
A morning tour of Merida city and surrounds. Merida is the capital of the wondrous state of Yucatan and is an artistic and intellectual centre that champions the arts.
Great for shopping, this is the place to buy your panama hat and Yucatan hammock; the only ones worth having.
Lunch at Hacienda Ochil.
Dinner at liberty tonight, to catch your breath and discover your own favourite Merida eating establishment.
Accommodation: Fiesta Americana Merida or Casa Lucia.
Friday 10 April Merida - Chichen Itza
Full Day enjoying Chichen Itza.
Chichen - Itza, world famous archaeological zone, is 120 km from Merida.
It is the most famous and best restored of the Yucata’n Peninsula’s Maya sites, it will awe even the most jaded traveler. The time temples here explain the mysteries of the Maya astronomical calendar.
When the Spaniards arrived at Chichen - Itza, it had been abandoned as a consequence of the civil war fought with Mayapan. In between 1196 and 1441 the final collapse of this culture took place in the north of the peninsula.
The conquerors found the buildings partially in ruins and their names and purpose were a mystery to the invaders.
Overnight at Chichen Itza
Accommodation and dinner: Hacienda Chichen.
Saturday 11 April Chichen Itza - Cancun - Guatemala City
Transfer to Cancun airport.
Taca Airline Flight # Departing Cancun 2:55 PM
ta7977 Arriving Guatemala City 4:50 PM
WELCOME TO GUATEMALA – AT LAST!
Guatemala City After the 1773 earthquake which destroyed the city of Santiago de los Caballeros, the capital Antigua Guatemala was moved to its present location in the Valley of the Hermitage. Although much of the original splendour of the city has fallen to the onslaught of further earthquakes, the centre still has some monuments dating back to its founding. Today, Guatemala City has two million inhabitants and its location makes it the jumping off point for visits to the rest of Guatemala and the entire Mayan world.
We are met in Guatemala City and driven to the very beautiful colonial town of Antigua. (1hr).
Although earthquakes have not been merciful to Antigua, the city conserves all its colonial charm. This ancient capital has been declared a World Heritage city by UNESCO.
Antigua is one of the principal ceramic producing centers in Guatemala. The technique was imported from Spain in the 16 th Century and notable families have kept the tradition of both majolica and painted ceramics alive.
Overnight and Dinner in Palacio Doña Leonor or Casa Santo Domingo Hotel.
Sunday 12 April Antigua
Antigua is a great town to walk. Our walk will cover the architectural & historical highlights of this colonial city. In the afternoon we will visit the Maya Museum and have some free time.
Dinner at a local restaurant serving Guatemalan dishes.
Overnight in Palacio Doña Leonor or Casa Santo Domingo Hotel.
Monday 13 April Antigua
This morning we will visit the market to see the locals and their produce up close.
We will then involve ourselves in a Cooking Lesson.
The Antigua Cooking School will host our class on traditional Guatemalan dishes.
Dinner at a restaurant that we will choose with good up to the minute advice from the locals.
Overnight in Palacio Doña Leonoror or Casa Santo Domingo Hotel.
Tuesday 14 April Antigua - Lake Atitlan
Today we drive through the highlands; Guatemala's most dramatic region, to Lake Atitlán. We will stop at Comalapa, for a visit to the colorful town Market. There are also local primitive painting galleries, a local bakery & the famous town mural. The traditional values and customs of the indigenous people of Guatemala are strongest in the highlands. At the end of the day, we will listen to a presentation by a Maya specialist and enjoy dinner at Hotel Atitlán.
Overnight and Dinner at Hotel Atitlán on the lakeshore.
Wednesday 15 April Lake Atitlan
Maya Villages at Lake Atitlán.
This spectacular lake is 128 sq km and is surrounded by colourful hills and volcanoes. We will go by boat to visit the villages of Santiago. After lunch we will go walking in the village visiting the Maya God Maximon and learn about the textiles, spiritualism and beliefs of the T’zutujil Maya. At San Juan we will visit a textile cooperative and the homes of some Naïf painters.
After the long day, we will deserve a special gourmet dinner at Casa Palopó Hotel.
Overnight Hotel Atitlán
Thursday 16 April Chichicastenango - Flores
Off to Guatemala City, stopping on the way at the highland town of Chichicastenango. Our route today will take us over the central highland region. We will see the local Maya people in their traditional dress going about their daily lives - working in the fields, collecting firewood, travelling between markets, selling their wares. Upon arrival at Chichicastenango we will explore the market known for its endless variety of beautiful textile, wooden & ceramic crafts. Chichi Market - one of the greatest markets in the Americas!
We will also visit the famous St Tomas Church where local Maya people come to perform Maya rituals within the Catholic Church - demonstrating the interesting way the two faiths have combined in recent times. If you choose you can also hike up the hill to the Pascaul Abaj ritual site to see if any local shaman are performing rituals.
Lunch is provided at Hotel St Tomas.
Transfer to Guatemala City for our flight to Flores.
Overnight and dinner at La Lancha.
Friday 17 April Yaxha
Yaxha National Park.
Enjoy a free morning of relaxation at the hotel in its beautiful lakeside, rainforest setting. After lunch we are picked up from the hotel at 14:00 and driven to Yaxha National Park. The sights and sounds of the howler and spider monkeys, colorful tropical birds and other mammals and wildlife will enliven sunset drinks on top of the main temple with views over the surrounding rainforest and nearby Lake Yaxha.
We will then trek back through the jungle with torches as it starts to turn dark - perhaps spotting some nocturnal wildlife as we go.
Dinner at local restaurant.
Overnight at La Lancha.
Saturday 18 April Tikal
Tikal National Park.
We will leave the hotel at 7am. and drive to the famed Tikal National Park. At this fabulous Maya site where huge temples pierce the jungle canopy, a variety of tropical animals and birds abound. Lunch at a local restaurant. The museum too, is well worth a visit before returning to the hotel. If you find the enchantment of the site too great we will revisit it and return to the hotel later. Any keen photographers will stay on with me at the site, I am sure. Tikal differs from the other great Myan sites, in that it is buried deep in the jungle. Scientific exploration of Tikal began in 1881 and it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.
Overnight and dinner at La Lancha.
Sunday 19 April Tikal - Rio Dulce
We drive today to Rio Dulce, with lunch on the way. On arrival we will go to the Garifuna town of Livingston by boat, the only way to reach this facinating village. This laid-back town is famous, as it is the only Garifuna community in Guatemala. The Garinagu people of Livingston and southern Belize are descendants of Africans brought to the New World as slaves. They have developed a distinct culture and language, incorporating African, Indian and European elements. We will take a walking tour to learn of their history and how the community & culture came in to being.
Night out to sample the local food of the Garinagu.
Overnight at Hotel Villa Caribe, a luxurious anomaly among Livingston's laid-bak, low priced lodgings.
Monday 20 April Rio Dulce - Copan
Transfer to Copan.
Today we visit the small town of Copan Ruinas. After lunch a visit to David Sedat’s nearby hilltop botanical experimental station that has views over all of the Copan Valley.
David will both introduce us to the many fascinating properties of medicinal plants used by the Maya, as well as demonstrate the new alternative crops that show great promise for reforesting and renewing the local landscape. David will tell of his plans to help the community & the Copan Valley environment with such alternative crops as Noni, Neem, and Macadamia.
After a refreshing herb tea and snack we will return to Copan. Afterwards we will have dinner at David’s home, and have a presentation of his archaeological work at Copan.
Overnight at Marina Copan.
Tuesday 21 April Finca del Cisne
Finca el Cisne – Ranch Life
Today we visit the Ranch or "Finca El Cisne". Our guide, Carlos will introduce us to his family who own the ranch. For those horse riders amongst us, a tranquil horseback ride through the farmlands and beautiful scenery of the Copan Valley is on offer. Carlos's mother will cook us a hearty farmhouse lunch, followed by a coffee grown on the property. In the afternoon we will explore the coffee and cardamom plantations and learn about cattle ranching in Guatemala.
On the way back to Copan, a dip in the hot springs my be in faviur.
Dinner at Marina Copan.
Overnight at Marina Copan
Wednesday 22 April In and around Copan
This morning we will visit the archaeology site at Copan. This beautiful site is famous for its intricately carved stelae and amazing hieroglyphic stairway as well as its comprehensive museum. On our return to Copan and after lunch, a walk in the lush, shady river valley to the Copan Bird Park. Here we can see and interact with a number of beautiful tropical birds that have been rescued from locales all over Honduras.
Farewell dinner at Hacienda San Lucas.
Overnight at Marina Copan.
Thursday 23 April Flight to Guatemala City - Los Angeles (B)
After breakfast, we will be taken to the airstrip for a charter flight back to Guatemala City. For the International departure.
Return home or come on for a week in CUBA!
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CUBA AT LAST 23-30 April 2009
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